The New Apple Ipad

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I'm almost surprised there's no topic about this yet, but what do you guys think of the new iPad?

Personally, I'm deeply underwhelmed, and cynically, I really do think Apple has mostly just invented a new niche in order to profit from their devoted fanbase.

I'm sure it will be a beautiful device to interact with, but I really can't see who the market is in the real world.

1) You can't do real work on it like a notebook (or even a netbook!) because of the basic OS, lack of multitasking, file management and other functionality

2) It's too clunky to lug around the way you can a smartphone or MP3 player/PMP

3) The battery life and image quality can't compete with a dedicated eInk book reader like the Kindle

4) You can't make art or scribble notes on it the way you can with a tablet PC because of the lack of a Wacom digitizer

5) Despite the emphasis on games, the processor and game library is badly outclassed by big-budget dedicated development on consoles or PCs

I suppose if you're really hurting for something to passively consume media or leave around the house to check e-mail or basic internet browsing it serves a purpose as a pricey, stylish entertainment device.

I do, however, suspect that because Apple is such a marketing juggernaut, it will be successful anyway, and the sheer volume of adopters will probably result in at least a few interesting apps that can take advantage of its peculiar functionality.

Oh well. Maybe the 2nd generation will be useful. It's just such a shame that there still isn't really a better tool for creative professionals on the market than my 5-year old Toshiba tablet PC...

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I don't think you are seeing the bigger picture here. Let's return in time.

The iMac - not the fastest computer, not the best screen, not even the best OS (at the time).....yet it turned Apple from a failing professional computer business into a consumer one.

The iPod - not the best music player, not the biggest capacity, not the cheapest.....but it unified software and hardware to give a user experience like nothing else (at the time)

The iPhone - not the first touch screen, not the best phone, not the best battery life....but it put the smart into smart phones for most people

Now the iPad - not as fast as some netbooks, not as useful as a netbook, more expensive than a netbook.....but.....these are not aimed at professional users, they are aimed at consumers who need to surf the net and send emails. Like the iPhone this is a device I can give to my 69 year old mother in law and she can use it almost immediately. She was looking to buy a new laptop for this but having seen this thing....

Yet like the iPhone this WILL become a professional tool but maybe not for designers.

We designers think - tablet=sketching. Not true. By far the largest application of tablet PCs is for field data entry. So the iPad has no camera - how long before we get a wireless accessory. How long before these things start to be seen in hospitals, by roving marketeers, by anyone who needs data entry apps on the fly. Try that on a netbook.

What you see in the launch is the glitz, the media headline grabbing stuff. But the money will be made in the long term by a combination of consumer sales and business sales. Like the iPhone.

So its not the fastest, not the best etc etc, but it will sell.

Me, I'm unlikely to buy one yet - but I can see why people would. And not just because it has an Apple logo on it.

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Guest Eddie12

Guest Eddie12

I don't think you are seeing the bigger picture here. Let's return in time.

The iMac - not the fastest computer, not the best screen, not even the best OS (at the time).....yet it turned Apple from a failing professional computer business into a consumer one.

The iPod - not the best music player, not the biggest capacity, not the cheapest.....but it unified software and hardware to give a user experience like nothing else (at the time)

The iPhone - not the first touch screen, not the best phone, not the best battery life....but it put the smart into smart phones for most people

Now the iPad - not as fast as some netbooks, not as useful as a netbook, more expensive than a netbook.....but.....these are not aimed at professional users, they are aimed at consumers who need to surf the net and send emails. Like the iPhone this is a device I can give to my 69 year old mother in law and she can use it almost immediately. She was looking to buy a new laptop for this but having seen this thing....

Yet like the iPhone this WILL become a professional tool but maybe not for designers.

We designers think - tablet=sketching. Not true. By far the largest application of tablet PCs is for field data entry. So the iPad has no camera - how long before we get a wireless accessory. How long before these things start to be seen in hospitals, by roving marketeers, by anyone who needs data entry apps on the fly. Try that on a netbook.

What you see in the launch is the glitz, the media headline grabbing stuff. But the money will be made in the long term by a combination of consumer sales and business sales. Like the iPhone.

So its not the fastest, not the best etc etc, but it will sell.

Me, I'm unlikely to buy one yet - but I can see why people would. And not just because it has an Apple logo on it.

KQD, Absolutely.

Its a big iPodTouch. Its basically a 10" capacitive touch-screen. Whats important is the software, whoever builds the most compelling apps will "sell" the device. Whether that be word processing/spread sheets or painting/sketching or music/photo/film editing or gaming or navigation or web browsing/email/movies......

I might buy one...

It has potential...

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Guest Bowl of Soup

Guest Bowl of Soup

Agree, it will sell as a larger iphone, not as a tablet. I think they lost some of the aesthetic potential in lieu of notebook-like port connections, this may hurt them. They could have gone 95% wireless on this.

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I personally think it's interesting but I don't considered it something innovative, special or ground breaking.

That is,.. iGet it... no,... iDon't get it or,.. iWTF?

BUT,.. I do listen and see things which surprise me and that is there seems to be a demographic which I or we are ignorant about or we forget about? Yeah,.. Mom/Dad, researchers, hospitals,... ereaders, game players, college students,... but there is something I believe which maybe common here..?

By itself iPad is... ok but... Apple is taking this chance because they must see some probable gravity which it maybe able too utilize during this economic flat line, that is,.. the follow us and be like us,.. the wannabe's if you will?

I mean,.. it maybe a gamble but, people want something new yet they also want too know what it is they need and they trust in the previous products they have been providing... and, they have a large and growing fan base!

I sense Apple maybe at a point time in their existence where they can almost dictate what people need/want,.. and their users will follow!?

I think they are rolling the dice on this product.. and, they may cash in if (as you all have said)... the right apps get on which help keep the existing Apple momentum going!?

..

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Guest abhinav

Guest abhinav

Well, Apple products used to be 'groundbreaking', but I must say iPad is 'Heartbreaking', or at least for me. iPad will sell, but not in high volumes as iPod or iPhone. Its not something new that one would expect from Apple design studio. There were certainly innovations in UI and UX when iPhone and iPod were launched. iPad lacks in that innovation.

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Guest bagaudae

Guest bagaudae

answering the title: neither, couldn't care less. Don't have use for it can't think of a reason to make me (even remotely) consider buying it. Hope it is a success that will eventually develop into something really useful and really meaningful.

This is my feeling about it.

but it probably will be a sales success. Like it's previous cousins/brothers

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Guest CricketAustralia7

Guest CricketAustralia7

I think that Apple had developed the ipad from scratch rather than basing its design off the iphone, it could have been a lot better. It has the potential to be big but if Microsoft can manage to get apps on courier like they have for apple products, then I can see it overtaking the ipad in sales.